Toy building construction.



A. C. GILBER].

TOY BUILDING CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED Nov 17. I916.

Patented July 3, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l- A. C. GILBERT.

TOY BUILDING CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. I7. I9I6.

1 $32,463., Patented July 3, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- III To all whom it may ALFRED o. GILBERT, or NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE A. C. GILBERT COMPANY, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

'roY BUILDING cons'rnucrron.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 3, 1917.

Application filed November 17, 1916. Serial Na-131,886.

concern:

I, ALFRED C. GILBERT, a citizen of the United States, residin in the city and county of New Haven, tate of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Toy Building Construction, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to toy building construction, and more particularly to toy construction of fairly heavy sheet metal which simulates in appearance the modern structural steel used in building bridges, skyscrapers, towers, cranes and the like. Furthermore, my invention pertains especially to toy building construction which can be used to build various models where a hollow box column or girder simulating a commercial lattice girder is required.

One of the primary objects of my invention is to provide an improved form of strip which is adapted to be combined with a plurality of like strips in such a manner that a very close simulation of box girders, I-beams and other shapes and structures used in commercial steel work may be readily obtained.

Another object of my invention is to rovided improved means for securing toget er, end-to-end, two sheet metal channeled strips which are made of such heavy sheet metal as to be quite rigid.

Another obj ect of the invention is to furnish an improved construction of hollow box girder or column.

To these and other ends, the invention consists in the novel features and combinations of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is an e evation of a hollow box 'rder or column constructed in accordance with my invention, part of the girder or column being broken away;

Fig. 2 is a view at right angles to Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the girder or column;

Fig. 4 is a detail section through one cornor of the girder;

Fig. 5 is a view showing two of the channeled strips connected together end-to-end, looking toward the channeled faces of the strips;

Fig. 6 is in Fig. 6;

Be it known that a reverseview of the parts shown of two Fig. 7 is a fra mentary perspective View strips com ined into an I-beam; and

Fig. 8 is a detail perspective view of one of the transverse braces.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to Figs. 1% inclusive, I have shown one example of a separable toy box girder or column'embodying my improvements. This girder or column, as shown, comprises a pair of opposing sheet metal strips 20, a second pair of sheet metal strips 21 set in between said first strips to space them apart, said second strips being, in this instance, identical with the first strips, and detachable fastening members, such as bolts 22 passing through the strips of he first pair and transversely across the box-like structure for holding all of the strips separably together as a miniature box girder or column.- The bolts 22 are provided with the usual nuts 23.

Each of the strips 20, 21 is formed from a fairly heavy sheet metal blank cut away at 24, 25 to present a plurality of integral diagonals or truss members 26, which extend between and interconnect the marginal portions 27 of the strip. These marginal portions 27 are provided with flanges 28 disposed substantially at right an lesto the ody portion of the strip. The anges give the strip a U-shaped or channeled section, as shown in Fig. 3. The diagonals 26 intersect along the median line of the strip, and at the points of intersection the strip is provided with bolt-receiving perforations 29, through certain of which perforations the bolts 22 are passed. The strip is also provided, near the respective ends, with a transverse row of perforations 30, one of which is slightly beyond and in line with the end perforation 29, while the other perforations 30 are disposed on opposite sides of the central perforation. Each flange 28 of the strip is provided with a longitudinal row of perforations 31 extending substantially throughout the length of the strip. In the particular form shown, the diagonals 26 do not extend completely to the ends of the strip, as the ends are formed as solid panels 32, in which the perforations 30 are provided.

It will be observed that the diagonal members 26 are oflset somewhat from the plane of the marginal portions 27 of the strip, being bent inward somewhat in the direction of the flanges 28. This provides flat bottomed seats, channels, or grooves 33 at the inner faces of the marginal portions 27 adjacent the flanges 28. These seats 33 are at least as wide as the flanges 28, and in the particular form shown they are of substantially the same width, so that when the strips are assembled to form a box girder, the outer face of the right angle flange 28 of one strip rests flat against the inner face or seat 33 at the back 'of the marginal portion 27 of another strip at right angles thereto, whereas the inner face of the flange 28 of the last mentioned strip rests flatwise against the front face of the marginal portion 27 of the first mentioned strip, as shown in Fig. 4. In this manner, when the strips are assembled, as shown in Fig. 3, with the strips 21 set in between the strips 20, and the bolts 22 interconnecting the strips 20, the inner strips 21 cannot be displaced in an inward direction, owin to the provision of the flat seats 33 in whic the flanges 28 of the inner strips fit flatwise. Inward movement of the inner strips is, of course, prevented by the shoulders 26 formed at the junction of the diagonal members with the marginal portions 27. On the other hand, outward displacement of the inner strips is effectively prevented by the flanges 28 of the outer strips, which contact flatwise with the marginalportions 27 of .the inner strips substantially throughout the area of said marginal portions. When the nuts 23 are screwed up on the bolts 22, the parts will be very firmly held in assembled relation as a miniature box column or girder, but when thenuts 23 are removed, the structure is readily separable into its component strips, as will be understood.

- The various perforations 29, 30, 31 may be used in attaching various other structural members to the column or girder, as will be understood. p

In order to interconnect two strips end-toend, I provide a special form of lap joint, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. Owing to the comparative rigidity of the strips, they will not nest together at their overlapping ends, and therefore I cut away one of the side flanges 28 at the end. Preferably, one of the side flanges 28 will be cut away at both ends, as shown at 35, so that two identical strips may be overlapped at their ends and fastened together, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. Prefers ably, in making the overlapping connection the cut away flanges .are located at the same side. At the opposite side, therefore, one of the other flanges 28 fits inside of the'corresponding flange of the other strip.' The cut away flanges abut end-to-end, as shown at the bottom of Fig. 5. When they so abut, the central end perforation 30 of one stripis in register with the end perforation 29 of the other strip, and the end perforation 29 of thefirst strip is in register with the central perforation 30 of the second strip. A

meaeee firm substantial connection hetween the two strips can then 'be madeb'y using one or more fastening bolts 37 as required. If de-' .endwise) is required, I use reinforcing angle plates 36, as shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 8. These angle plates have flanges which are perforated at the same pitch as the other parts. In the form shown, each flange of the angle has a row of three perforations 36 adapted to register with the end perforations 30 of one of the strips. In the construction shown in Figs. 5 and 6, an angle 36 is used to brace the strips at the points where the perforations 29 are provided. Each angle is of such length as to fit snugly within the channel of the strip with its ends in contact with the inner faces of the flanges of the strip. The central perforation of one of the angles registers with one of the perforations 29, and ashort bolt 37 passed through the registering perforations. holds the angle brace firmly in place.

When it is desired to form an I-beam, two of the channeled strips may be placed backto-back, as shown in Fig. 7 and intercom nected by means of short bolts 37 similar to those described in connection with Figs. 5 and 6. An I-beam formed in this way presents a very close simulation of large structural steel work.

It will be observed that certain of the cutout portions 25 are'located on opposite sides of each of the end perforations 29 of" the strip. The fingers may be passedthrough these cut-away portions, and this is a feature of advantage in assembling some models.

Various changes may be made in the details of the constructionlwithout departing from the scope of the invention as defined in. the claims.

I do not claim broadlyherein a toy construction bloc formed of sheet metal strips withgrooved edges, as claimed in my application Serial No. 814,533. Neither do I claim broadly herein a strip having intersecting diagonals with perforations in the longitudinal medial line of the strip at the respective intersections of the diagonals, as claimed in my application Serial No. 54,853.

It will be observed that one of the unique characteristics of the lap joint shown in Figs. 5 and 6 is that the longer flanges are in overlapping relation at one side of the structure, whereas the shorter flanges are in abutting relation at the other side.

masses What I claim is: y

1. In a toy construction the Combination of a pair of sheet metal strips arranged oppositely with respect to each other, each of said strips being cut away through a considerable portion of its length to present a plurality of integral diagonal members which intersect each other, said strips being provided with perforations at the intersections of said diagonal members and being further provided with flanges at the side edges extending at right angles to the body of the strip, the inner faces of said strips being provided adjacent said side flanges with longitudinal channels or grooves, the grooves of one strip arranged to face those of the other strip, a second pair of identical strips set in between the strips of the first pair to space them apart, and having their flanges fitting flatwise in the channels or grooves of the first strips, and fastening members passing through and interconnecting the strips of the first pair at the respective end portions of the box-like structure for securing all of said strips detachably together; substantially as described.

2. In a toy construction the combination of a plurality of identical strips constituted by sheet metal plates, each of said strips havingflanges bent up at right angles thereto at both side edges, and grooves adjacent the respective flanges, two of said strips having their grooved faces opposing each other and forming an outer pair, another pair of said strips set in between the strips of the first pair to space them apart, with the flanges of the second pair engaged flatwise and snugly in the grooves of the first pair, and fastening members passing through the outer str-ips at different points in the length of said strips, and traversing the box-like structure for clamping the outer strips detachably on the inner strips, all of said strips being freely separable from each other in a lateral direction when said fastening members are removed; substantially as described.

3. A toy building element, comprising a miniature structural member constituted by a sheet metal strip having flanges bent up therefrom at substantially right angles thereto and pointing in the same direction, whereby the strip is given a channeled crosssection. said strip being cut away throughout a considerable portion of its length to present a plurality of integral diagonals, and being further provided at different points in its length with a plurality of boltreceiving perforations, one of said side flanges terminating substantially at the extremity of the strip at one end, and the other flange terminating somewhat short of the first flange at the same end; substantially as described.

4. A toy building element, comprising a miniature structural channel member constituted by a sheet metal strip having flanges bent up therefrom at both side edges at right angles thereto, said strip being provided near the respective ends with boltreceiving perforations, the inner face of said strip being furnished with depressions adjacent the side flanges which form, in connection with the respective flanges, longitudinal grooves or channels, said longitudinal grooves or channels being of such width as to receive snugly the right-angled flan es of similar strips arranged at right ang es to the first strip, whereby a separate box girder may be built up from four of such strips; substantially as described.

5. A toy building element, comprising a miniature structural channel member constituted by a sheet metal strip having flanges bent up at right angles thereto at the respective side edges, said strip being cut away throughout a considerable portion of its length to present a plurality of diagonals intersecting each other in the median line of the strip, and the strip being provided with a plurality of perforations at the intersections of the diagonals, the inner face of said strip adjacent said flanges being provided with depressions forming, in connection with the respective flanges, longitudinal grooves or channels of such width as to receive the right-angled flanges of similar strips, whereby a separable box girder may be built up from four'of such strips; substantially as described.

6. A toy building element, comprising a 100 miniature structural channel member constituted by a sheet metal strip having flanges bent up at right angles thereto at both side edges, said strip being cut away throughout a considerable portion of its 105 length to present a plurality of intersecting diagonals, said strip being provided with a longitudinal row of perforations located at the intersections of the diagonals, the inner face of said strip being provided with 110 depressions adjacent the respective side flanges, which depressions, in connection with said flanges, form longitudinal grooves or channels of such width as to receive snugly the right-angled flanges of similar 1'15 strips arranged at right angles to the first strip, one of said side flanges of the first strip terminating substantially at the extremity of the strip at at least one end of said strip, and the other side flange terminating some- 120 what short of the first flange; substantially as described.

7 In a toy building construction, the combination of two identical miniature structural' members, each comprising a sheet 125 metal strip of channeled cross-section having flanges bent up substantially at right angles thereto along the side edges, one flange of each strip extending substantially to one end thereof, and the other flange of each 130 strip terminating short of the end of said first flange, the ends of the two strips being overlapped, with the first'named flanges in overlapped relation at one side, and the second named flanges in abutting relation at the opposite side, and means for fastening the strips together; substantially as described.

8. In a toy building construction, the comlapping, flanges running along one side edge of the respective strips and overlapping each other, flanges extending along theother side edge of the respective strips and in abutting 15 relation to each other, and means for fastening the strips together; substantially as described.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand on the 15th day of November, 1916. 20

ALFRED C. GILBERT.

l0 bination of two strips arranged in line with each other with their adjacent ends over- 

